GMA Integrated News, in partnership with Regional TV and Synergy, hosted the “GMA Masterclass: Road to the 2025 Elections” on May 25 at Studio 5, GMA Network Center.
The event aimed to prepare multimedia journalists for the upcoming midterm elections by providing insights and training on new technologies and election-related issues.
Participants included anchors, reporters, video journalists, program managers, station managers, and writers from various GMA platforms such as GMA News Manila, GMA Regional TV, GMA News Online, Super Radyo DZBB, and RGMA.
COMELEC Chairperson Atty. George Erwin Garcia, University of the Philippines Journalism Professor Dr. Rachel Khan, GMA Legal Affairs Assistant Vice President Atty. Jose Vener Ibarra, NMI Information Security and Data Privacy Assistant Vice President Rodel Arenas, and GMA Integrated News Social Media Manager Audrey Mae Domasian provided valuable insights.
Atty. Garcia offered an overview of the 2025 midterm elections and discussed voter education. He emphasized the importance of the automated vote counting machines and touch-screen voting machines, which will be used by registered overseas Filipino voters in areas without internet voting capabilities.
Dr. Khan highlighted the impact of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) on politics and how media practitioners can utilize A.I. tools for election coverage. “Understanding and leveraging A.I. can significantly enhance our election reporting and ensure accuracy,” she noted.
Atty. Ibarra delved into the election laws governing media, stressing the legal responsibilities of journalists during the election period. Arenas and Domasian focused on detecting deepfakes and online disinformation, sharing tools for A.I. detection to maintain the integrity of news reporting.
Oliver Victor B. Amoroso, Senior Vice President and Head of GMA Integrated News, Regional TV, and Synergy, underscored the significance of the Masterclass.
“This is certainly not our first election coverage, but to a degree, we are marching into unfamiliar grounds because of how rapidly technology is evolving. Let today’s Masterclass strengthen our commitment to fulfilling our mission by helping preserve the integrity of the polls and our democracy at large,” Amoroso said.
The event also featured a performance by The Clash Season 5 grand champion John Rex, adding an entertainment segment to the proceedings.
This Masterclass is part of a larger initiative by GMA Regional TV and Synergy, which continues to hold sessions across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao to provide new learning opportunities and discourse on various local and national issues.
Hosting the event were Saksi and 24 Oras Weekend anchor Pia Arcangel and GMA Synergy sportscaster and 24 Oras’ Game Changer segment host Martin Javier. The Masterclass builds on the success of the previous session, “GMA Masterclass Series: In the Age of AI,” which addressed the importance and impact of AI in journalism.
Key figures present included GMA Integrated News Consultant Grace Dela Peña-Reyes; Senior Assistant Vice President for News Programs John Ray Arrabe; and other senior officials from GMA’s various departments, demonstrating the network’s commitment to innovative and responsible election coverage.